In a shocking incident that has sparked outrage across Kenya, comedian and content creator Arap Marindich was caught on video whipping a statue of the late Tom Mboya in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD).
Tom Mboya, a revered political leader until his assassination in 1969, had a statue erected in his honor along Moi Avenue in 2011, situated just meters away from the location where he was tragically murdered.
The incident unfolded as Marindich stood atop metal grills, wielding a whip to strike the statue. Swiftly responding to the commotion, an undercover police officer apprehended Marindich and led him away from the scene.
However, the officer’s discomfort with being recorded by onlookers led to threats of confiscating phones.
The video of Marindich’s actions spread rapidly on social media, eliciting a widespread and vehement response from Kenyans. Many individuals took to various platforms to express their disappointment and anger, labeling the act as not only disrespectful to the memory of Tom Mboya but also tarnishing the values and history of the nation.
Online commentators condemned Marindich for crossing a line between creative content and outright disrespect. Numerous netizens argued that such antics should not be tolerated under the guise of content creation, demanding a sense of responsibility from those who wield influence on social media.
